IDW Publishing To Adapt Ellison Trek Story

Fans of Harlan Ellison‘s original teleplay of The City on the Edge of Forever will soon see it in comic book form.

Star Trek: Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay will be released as a five-issue mini-series.

“Star Trek: Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay will be written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton, with interior painted art by J.K. Woodward. Each issue of the series will feature a cover by Juan Ortiz, whose artistic interpretations of every episode of [the original series] were recently published in an oversize hardcover collection, Star Trek: The Art of Juan Ortiz. Variant covers will be provided by movie poster artist/Star Trek: Khan cover artist Paul Shipper.”

The comic book mini-series will be overseen by Ellison.

“Presenting Harlan Ellison’s brilliant original script for City on the Edge… has been a goal of ours since IDW first began publishing Star Trek comics in 2007,” said series editor and IDW chief creative officer/editor-in-chief Chris Ryall.”

“It was a superlative joy of my long life to have worked with Leonard Nimoy, who became my friend, and many others at Star Trek,” said Ellison, “and an equally heart-happy joy to be working with J.K. and the Tipton Bros. and Chris Ryall on this long-awaited visual of my — humbly, I say it — brilliant original City.”

Expect the first issue of Star Trek: Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay this June.

Mr. Ellison says, “humbly, I say it.” I’m afraid I have to quote Dr. McCoy’s line from “Amok Time” — In a pig’s eye!

Ben Gunn

I read the post yesterday, but came by again hoping something fun might appear in the comments. I see the “Collective” was up to the task.

Blue Thunder

It will be interesting to see how this will turn out. I’ve always admired Harlan Ellison for his blunt straightforwardness(i.e. shooting from the hip)and speaking his mind.

milojthatch

Anyone know what the main difference are between this and the actual episode?

m

Spoiler Red Ultra Alert; The story is set in motion by Beckwith, a crewman, who uses jewel like drugs, almost wrecks the ship, kills a crew member, then flees to the Guardian planet. Guardian design (still replays time, including dinosaurs) is undefined, looked over by tall aliens with “mitered” headpieces. Guardian is atop mountain on dusty grey planet under “wan and dying sun.” Beckwith goes back in time, erasing history. Kirk goes back to Enterprise, finds it changed — now its named “Condor” and crewed by vicious pirates (think “Mirror, Mirror”).They fight pirates. Rand stays behind to hold the transporter room — impossible task — Kirk and Spock beam back down. Kirk and Spock follow Beckwith, find Edith. They are aided by “trooper,” who fought in WWI at Verdun, at a crucial time. Don’t think McCoy is there on Earth. Spock saves Edith because Kirk is too distraught. It ends kind of like “Requiem for Methuselah” with Spock in Kirk’s cabin. There’s much more detail of Spock’s stint as a dishwasher; Kirk and Spocks inner thoughts. Excellent script and contains all essential iconic elements; Guardian, Edith, time travel, the soup kitchen, love for Edith, traffic accident. The TV version aligns it more with “Star Trek” — Kirk makes the decision; no drug dealers on board — but the script is essentially Ellison just the same.

Michael Hall

Good summary of Harlan Ellison’s original teleplay–except, I think you meant to say that Spock prevents Kirk from saving Edith, thus setting history back on its proper course.
So many questions about how they will approach this adaptation. Will the likenesses of the original TOS cast be used? Will the artwork reflect the look of the Enterprise as it appeared in 1967, or more the space-battleship depicted in Ellison’s original script? (I personally hope they take as many liberties as the material calls for, given the alt-universe nature of the project.)
Will there be another essay detailing the genesis of the famed episode, or, having already having had his say (twice) at considerable length, will Harlan elect to have the finished product speak for itself? (Were I a betting man, I put money on the essay.)
Just can’t wait for this to happen.